The User Reconfigured: On Subjectivities of Information

Foundational to HCI is the notion of “the user.” Whether a cognitive processor, social actor, consumer, or even a non- user, the user in HCI has always been as much a technical construct as actual people using systems. We explore an emerging formulation of the user—the subjectivity of in- formation—by laying out what it means and why research- ers are being drawn to it. We then use it to guide a case study of a relatively marginal use of computing—digitally mediated sexuality—to holistically explore design in rela- tion to embodiment, tactual experience, sociability, power, ideology, selfhood, and activism. We argue that subjectivi- ties of information clarifies the relationships between de- sign choices and embodied experiences, ways that designers design users and not just products, and ways to cultivate and transform, rather than merely support, human agency

Human experience in the natural and built environment : implications for research policy and practice

22nd IAPS conference. Edited book of abstracts. 427 pp. University of Strathclyde, Sheffield and West of Scotland Publication. ISBN: 978-0-94-764988-3

Using tablet devices to control complex home appliances

Internet of things has made connected devices and appliances widely available and tablet devices are common household items. This study focuses on technical user interface design challenges and requirements for user interface design of controlling complex home appliances with tablet devices. There is a literature review about available controlling technologies and usability heuristics related to tablet and mobile devices. An Android test application was created and tested with four test users to find out how well those heuristics work and are covered. That application was tested against the regular user interface of a dishwasher and task completion times and errors were noted down. Test users were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding the heuristics and how well the implementation performed. Tablet devices should be evaluated using regular usability heuristics, but besides them they require mobile specific heuristics, such as easy of input, screen readability and glancability, physical interaction and ergonomics and privacy and social convention taken into account. The results showed that a tablet user interface was able to outperform its regular counterpart in task completion times and in number of errors. The implementation also covered those heuristics in a more comprehensive way. But among test persons the most benefit was with users who were familiar with tablets and not with dishwashers. A test user who wasn t familiar with tablets but was with dishwashers performed tasks faster and with fewer errors with regular user interface. In conclusion a tablet user interface enabled users who were familiar with tablets to perform tasks faster and with less errors. Those users were also more satisfied with a tablet user interface than a regular one. On the other hand a test user with little experience of tablets and familiarity with dishwashers was able to perform tasks faster an with less errors with the regular user interface. A tablet user interface was able to offer extra benefits and efficiency to users, but regular user interface should be also available to satisfy users who are not familiar with mobile devices

Understanding Usability-related Information Security Failures in a Healthcare Context

This research study explores how the nature and type of usability failures impact task performance in a healthcare organization. Healthcare organizations are composed of heterogeneous and disparate information systems intertwined with complex business processes that create many challenges for the users of the system. The manner in which Information Technology systems and products are implemented along with the overlapping intricate tasks the users have pose problems in the area of usability. Usability research primarily focuses on the user interface; therefore, designing a better interface often leaves security in question. When usability failures arise from the incongruence between healthcare task and the technology used in healthcare organizations, the security of information is jeopardized. Hence, the research problem is to understand the nature and types of usability-related security failures and how they can be reduced in a Healthcare Information System. This research used a positivist single case study design with embedded units, to understand the nature and type of usability-related information systems security failures in a Healthcare context. The nature and types of usability failures were identified following a four-step data analysis process that used terms that defined (1) user failures in a large healthcare organization, (2) Task Technology Fit theory, (3) the Confidentiality Integrity and Availability triad of information protection that captured usability-related information system security failures, and (4) by conducting semi-structured interviews with users of the Healthcare Information System capturing and recording their interactions with the usability failure. The captured reported usability-related information system security failures dated back five years within a healthcare organization consisting of a network of 128 medical centers. The evaluation of five years of data and over 8,000 problems reported by healthcare workers allowed this research to identify the misalignment of healthcare task to the technology used, and how the misalignment impacted both information security and user performance. The nature of usability failures were centered on technical controls, however, the cause of the failures was predominately information integrity failures and the unavailability of applications and systems. Usability-related information system security failures are primarily not recognized due to the nature of healthcare task along with the methods healthcare workers use to mitigate such failures by employing workarounds to complete a task. Applying non-technical security controls within the development process provides the clearest path to addressing throughout the organization the captured usability-related information system security failures

Revisiting usability's three key principles

The foundations of much HCI research and practice were elaborated over 20 years ago as three key principles by Gould and Lewis [7]: early focus on users and tasks; empirical measurement; and iterative design. Close reading of this seminal paper and subsequent versions indicates that these principles evolved, and that success in establishing them within software development involved a heady mix of power and destiny. As HCI's fourth decade approaches, we re-examine the origins and status of Gould and Lewis' principles, and argue that is time to move on, not least because the role of the principles in reported case studies is unconvincing. Few, if any, examples of successful application of the first or second principles are offered, and examples of the third tell us little about the nature of successful iteration. More credible, better grounded and more appropriate principles are needed. We need not so much to start again, but to start for the first time, and argue from first principles for apt principles for designing

Intuitive interaction: Steps towards an integral understanding of the user experience in interaction design

A critical review of traditional practices and methodologies demonstrates an underplaying of firstly the role of emotions and secondly aspects of exploration in interaction behaviour in favour of a goal orientated focus in the user experience (UX). Consequently, the UX is a commodity that can be designed, measured, and predicted. An integral understanding of the UX attempts to overcome the rationalistic and instrumental mindset of traditional Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) on several levels. Firstly, the thesis seeks to complement a functional view of interaction with a qualitative one that considers the complexity of emotions. Emotions are at the heart of engagement and connect action irreversibly to the moment it occurs; they are intettwined with cognition, and decision making. Furthermore, they introduce the vague and ambiguous aspects of experience and open it up to potentiality of creation. Secondly, the thesis examines the relationship between purposive and non-purposive user behaviour such as exploration, play and discovery. The integral position proposed here stresses the procedurally relational nature and complexity of interaction experience. This requires revisiting and augmenting key themes of HCI practice such as interactivity and intuitive design. Intuition is investigated as an early and unconscious form of learning, and unstructured browsing discussed as random interaction mechanisms as forms of implicit learning. Interactivity here is the space for user's actions, contributions and creativity, not only in the design process but also during interaction as co-authors of their experiences. Finally, I envisage integral forms of usability methods to embrace the vague and the ambiguous, in order to enrich HCI's vocabulary and design potential. Key readings that inform this position cut across contemporary philosophy, media and interaction studies and professional HCI literature. On a practical level, a series of experimental interaction designs for web-browsing aim to augment the user's experience, and create space for user's intuition

Living in Two Worlds: A Critical Ethnography of Academic and Proto-Professional Interactions in a Human-Computer Interaction Design Studio

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Indiana University, School of Education, 2014Studio pedagogy has been used broadly in traditional design disciplines for over a century, functioning as a signature pedagogy. This pedagogical approach is increasingly being adopted in non-traditional design disciplines, often without an understanding of why this pedagogy is effective from an instructional design perspective, or how its theoretical structures may function in disciplines outside of the design tradition. In this dissertation, I investigated a Master's program at a large Midwestern university in human-computer interaction (HCI), one of these emergent design disciplines, capturing the occurrence and underlying structures of communication as they emerged in informal dimensions of the pedagogy as experienced and enacted by students. To produce a critical ethnography of this site, I collected data as a participant observer for two academic semesters, compiling over 450 contact hours, thousands of photographs, hundreds of hours of audio, and 30 critical interviews that were semi-structured, focused on specific topic domains. Almost two-thirds of the contact hours were located in a non-classroom studio space, where I interacted with students as they worked and socialized. The remaining contact hours were spent in classroom observations during the second semester of data collection, in order to compare and enrich my understanding of the student experience of the formal pedagogy. Through an analysis of the structures of informal communication between students, I identified system relations that allowed for the constitution of student-led interactions in the studio space and encouraged reproduction of these interactions. Beneath these system relations, I discovered that students worked within two different fields of action: one oriented towards the academic community and related typifications of classroom and professor behavior; and a second oriented towards the professional community. The structure-system relations led by students took place within the proto-professional field, indicating a relationship with the professional community, even while the pedagogy placed students in the student role. Implications of this relationship between students and the professional and academic communities are explored through the lenses of studio education in HCI and instructional design, indicating a need for more research on adaptation of the studio model in new disciplines, and the evolving identity of students in relation to the professional practice of design

A Metacognition-Based Digital Problem-Solving Worksheet: a Design-Based Research: An Empirical Study Focused on Automotive Fault Diagnosis Learning for Indonesian Prospective Automotive Vocational Teachers

Vocational teachers need to equip their students with meaningful and relevant required workplace competencies. As a result, vocational teachers should always stay updated on their knowledge and skills regarding the development of science and technology in the world of work. More specifically, in the automotive vocational expertise domain, problem-solving abilities become the crucial skills students need to master. Hence, equipping prospective automotive vocational teachers with sustainable learning and problem-solving abilities is indispensable. In this case, the metacognition theory could facilitate students with learning-how-to-learn activities, which is an essential skill for sustainable learning and learning to teach and equip them with problem-solving abilities. Therefore, bringing the metacognition theory, supported by other relevant theories, into teaching and learning activities would be beneficial in dealing with those issues. This study aimed to design and develop a metacognition-based digital problem-solving worksheet. This digital worksheet was expected to facilitate students with learning-how-to-learn activities and equip them with problem-solving abilities effectively. There were four main research objectives and questions in this study, which were related to; 1) the practical problem that needs to be addressed, 2) the didactic design, 3) the usability, and 4) the effectiveness of the digital worksheet. Design-based research was used to answer the research questions. This is a multi-methods research design, which means many methods exist to achieve the research aim and objectives. This research design comprised six stages; analysis and exploration (stage 1), design and construction (stage 2), evaluation and reflection (stage 3), analysis and exploration (stage 4), design and construction (stage 5), and evaluation and reflection (stage 6). Stage 1 was used to explore the practical problem as the answer to the first research question. Stages 2 up to 5 were used to formulate the digital worksheet's didactic design as the answer to the second research question. Stage 6 was used to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of the digital worksheet as the answer to the third and fourth research questions, respectively. Firstly, in answering the first research question, three semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection techniques in the first research stage. The findings of this stage stated that sustainable learning, learning to teach, and problem-solving abilities became the needed competencies prospective automotive vocational teachers need to master. Additionally, the findings stated that automotive fault diagnosis learning was the highest-order thinking subject that had a practical problem on it. The quality of the instructional toolkit for this subject required to be improved since the existing toolkit was a conventional observation sheet and still allowed students to conduct trial-and-error stages. This was the practical problem that this research would address. Secondly, in answering the second research question, a focus group discussion, expert-based evaluations, user-based evaluations (formative usability evaluation), and final revisions were used in the second, third, fourth, and fifth research stages, respectively. The focus group discussion aimed to discuss the materials needed to develop the digital worksheet. Following that, expert-based evaluations and user-based evaluations were conducted to evaluate the initial digital worksheet based on the experts' and users' perspectives, respectively. Several revisions were done based on those evaluation results, and the digital worksheet's final didactic design was finally realized. The findings of the didactic design stated that the worksheet was in a digital form and used blended learning with flipped classroom strategy, so students need to have three different learning times; 1) before, 2) during, and 3) after classroom activities. Furthermore, constructivism learning theory, adult learning theory, metacognition theory, experiential learning theory, and reflection theory became the fundamental theoretical knowledge basis for developing this digital worksheet. Moreover, problem-based learning, automotive fault diagnosis procedures, and worksheet stages became the digital worksheet development's fundamental practical knowledge basis. There were seven stages that students need to do during the problem-solving learning; 1) introduction, 2) observing, 3) collecting information, 4) analyzing, 5) testing, 6) rectifying, and 7) checking all systems. There were many steps in every stage above, and many instructions and self-reflection questions in every single step. Additionally, in every step, the teachers had an opportunity to give feedback on the student's work, and the students could have discussions with other students at the end of every stage. The self-reflection questions on every instruction, the teacher's feedback on every step, and the discussion results at every stage were used to regulate the students' self-cognition. Thirdly, in answering the third and fourth research questions, a questionnaire survey and an experimental study were used as the final research stage, respectively. First, the survey of summative usability evaluation consisted of four elements: usefulness, ease of use, ease of learning, and satisfaction. The findings of this evaluation stated that the usability level and those elements' usability levels were all in very high categories. Additionally, it could be determined that the usefulness, ease of use, and ease of learning significantly influenced the students' satisfaction simultaneously and independently, except for the variable of ease of learning. Second, the effectiveness findings stated that the digital worksheet significantly effectively facilitated students' learning-how-to-learn activities and equipped them with problem-solving abilities.:ABSTRACT (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY) ABSTRAKT (ZUSAMMENFASSUNG) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND DEDICATION TABLE OF CONTENT LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 1.1. Introductory of the Chapter 1.2. Research Background, State of the Art, and Motivation 1.3. Research Empirical Problems and Context Justification 1.4. Research Rationale 1.5. Research Aim and Objectives 1.6. Research Questions 1.7. Research Scope and Context Limitations 1.8. Research Significance 1.9. Definitions of the Important Terms 1.10. List of the Research Project Publication 1.11. Summary of the Chapter CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introductory of the Chapter 2.2 Literature Review – Contextual Domain 2.2.1 Vocational Education 2.2.2 Education System in Indonesia 2.2.3 Vocational Education (SMK-MAK) in Indonesia 2.2.4 Problems and Challenges of Vocational Education in Indonesia 2.2.5 Vocational Teachers 2.2.6 Vocational Teacher Education 2.3 Literature Review – Theoretical and Conceptual Domain 2.3.1 Constructivism and Adult Learning Theory 2.3.2 Metacognition Theory – Metacognitive Learning Strategies (Learning-How-to-Learn) 2.3.3 Experiential Learning Theory - Reflection Theory 2.3.4 Problem-Based Learning Method – Problem-Solving Ability 2.3.5 Blended Learning Technique – Flipped Classroom Learning Strategy 2.3.6 Instructional Media and Technology – Learning Worksheet 2.3.7 Usability Evaluation in Instructional Media and Technology 2.3.8 The Research Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 2.4 Literature Review – Methodological Domain 2.4.1 Research Methodologies in Instructional Media and Technology Development 2.4.2 Design-Based Research 2.5 Research Hypotheses 2.6 Summary of the Chapter CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1. Introductory of the Chapter 3.2. Research Paradigm, Philosophy, and Research Type 3.3. Research Design, Strategies, and Methods 3.4. Research Context and Participants 3.5. Research Data Collection Techniques and the Tools 3.5.1. Stage 1 – Semi-Structured Interview and the Protocol 3.5.2. Stages 2 & 4 – Focus Group and the Protocols 3.5.3. Stage 3 – Expert-Based Evaluation and the Questionnaires 3.5.4. Stages 4 & 6 – Survey and the USE Questionnaire 3.5.5. Stage 6 – Experimental Study and the Assessment Tools 3.6. Research Data Analysis Techniques 3.6.1. Stage 1 – Semi-Structured Interview 3.6.2. Stage 2 – Focus Group Discussion 3.6.3. Stage 3 – Expert-Based Evaluation (Survey Questionnaire) 3.6.4. Stage 4 – User-Based Evaluation (Survey Questionnaire and Focus Group Interview) 3.6.5. Stage 6 – Usability Evaluation (Survey Questionnaire) 3.6.6. Stage 6 – Effectiveness Evaluation (Experimental Study) 3.7. Summary of the Chapter CHAPTER 4. RESEARCH FINDINGS 4.1. Introductory of the Chapter 4.2. Finding 1: The Practical Problem 4.2.1. Stage 1 – First Semi-Structured Interview 4.2.2. Stage 1 – Second Semi-Structured Interview 4.2.3. Stage 1 – Third Semi-Structured Interview 4.3. Finding 2: The Didactic Design 4.3.1. Stage 2 – Focus Group Discussion 4.3.2. Stage 3 – Expert-Based Evaluation 4.3.3. Stage 4 – User-Based Evaluation 4.3.4. Stage 5 – Final Revision (The Didactic Design) 4.4. Finding 3: The Usability 4.5. Finding 4: The Effectiveness 4.5.1. Stage 6 – The Effectiveness Evaluation in Facilitating Students with Leaning-How-to-Learn Activities 4.5.2. Stage 6 – The Effectiveness Evaluation in Equipping Students with Problem-Solving Abilities 4.6. Summary of the Chapter CHAPTER 5. RESEARCH DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 5.1. Introductory of the Chapter 5.2. Discussion 1 – The Practical Problem 5.3. Discussion 2 – The Didactic Design 5.4. Discussion 3 – The Usability 5.5. Discussion 4 – The Effectiveness 5.6. Overall Discussion – The Research Findings' Interpretations and Implications in Intercultural-Global Contexts and Theoretical Design Principles 5.6.1. The Research Findings' Interpretations and Implications in Intercultural-Global Contexts 5.6.2. The Research Findings' Interpretations and Implications in Theoretical Insights and Design Principles 5.7. Research Conclusion 5.8. Research Limitations and Further Research 5.9. Summary of the Chapter REFERENCES STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP APPENDICE

Evaluating human-centered approaches for geovisualization

Working with two small group of domain experts I evaluate human-centered approaches to application development which are applicable to geovisualization, following an ISO13407 taxonomy that covers context of use, eliciting requirements, and design. These approaches include field studies and contextual analysis of subjects' context; establishing requirements using a template, via a lecture to communicate geovisualization to subjects and by communicating subjects' context to geovisualization experts with a scenario; autoethnography to understand the geovisualization design process; wireframe, paper and digital interactive prototyping with alternative protocols; and a decision making process for prioritising application improvement. I find that the acquisition and use of real user data is key; that a template approach and teaching subjects about visualization tools and interactions both fail to elicit useful requirements for a visualization application. Consulting geovisualization experts with a scenario of user context and samples of user data does yield suggestions for tools and interactions of use to a visualization designer. The complex and composite natures of both visualization and human-centered domains, incorporating learning from both domains, with user context, makes design challenging. Wireframe, paper and digital interactive prototypes mediate between the user and visualization domains successfully, eliciting exploratory behaviour and suggestions to improve prototypes. Paper prototypes are particularly successful at eliciting suggestions and especially novel visualization improvements. Decision-making techniques prove useful for prioritising different possible improvements, although domain subjects select data-related features over more novel alternative and rank these more inconsistently. The research concludes that understanding subject context of use and data is important and occurs throughout the process of engagement with domain experts, and that standard requirements elicitation techniques are unsuccessful for geovisualization. Engagement with subjects at an early stage with simple prototypes incorporating real subject data and moving to successively more complex prototypes holds the best promise for creating successful geovisualization applications